How to hang wallpaper in the bedroom

Wallpaper patterns reflect the personality of the room’s owner.

When choosing a design, take your time and hang up samples to see if you can live with the pattern.

Trend-wise, dull paisley designs are out while bold shapes and botanical patterns are in.

For a subtle effect, choose a small geometric design and for more impact, go with a larger pattern.

For a modern take on a classic style, we’ve used a metallic damask pattern in this bedroom.

To calculate the number of rolls of wallpaper needed, measure the length and height of the wall.

This 3.3 x 2.4m wall required two 10m rolls of 52cm wide brown paper, which allowed for 20% wastage when matching the pattern.

Before you begin, move furniture from the room and lay drop sheets.

The walls in this bedroom had been painted recently, so they only needed to be washed to remove any dirt or grease.

For bare plasterboard walls, apply a primer and allow to dry.

To hang the wallpaper, we used a kit that included the paste, a plumb line, smoother, roller and tray.

TIP Remove old paper with a steamer or scraper, then sand and wash the wall.

Papering a single feature wall adds interest to a room without overwhelming the space.

As it is intended to be the most dominant visual element and sets the mood and feel of the room, a feature wall needs to be selected carefully.

Determine which wall your eye is naturally drawn to when going into the room.

Avoid choosing a wall with a door or window, as this can detract from the impact of the pattern.

A feature wall can often be used to provide a backdrop for a piece of furniture such as a bed or sofa.

If this is the case, stick with solid-coloured furnishings to avoid heavily clashing patterns.

Take into account the available light in the room. Designs that look great in pictures may appear dull unless the wall is adequately lit.

Deduct 20mm from the width of the wallpaper then, starting from the corner, mark that measurement on the wall. Use a plumb line or spirit level to draw a perfect vertical line.

TIP This line is used for alignment, as walls are rarely perfectly straight.

Mix the paste according to the instructions.

Pour it into the tray and use a roller to apply it to the wall, starting at the corner and overlapping the marked line by 50mm.

Smooth the paste to an even consistency and wipe any excess from the skirting boards.

Decide where you want the top of the pattern to begin and cut the roll so there is 100mm of excess above this point.

Have a helper unroll the paper while you position it on the wall, lining it up with the pencil line and ensuring there is excess at the top.

Smooth out any imperfections with a broad knife, then trim the excess paper at the corner, top and base of the wall with a utility knife.

Use the broad knife as a guide, if necessary.

TIP Use a utility knife with a snap-off blade to keep the tip sharp.

Position the paper on the wall and align the pattern with the first drop as you unroll the paper.

Butt the second drop precisely to the first and smooth into position.

Continue hanging paper across the wall, trimming as you go and wiping away any excess paste.

When wallpapering around window frames, powerpoints or other obstacles, use scissors to cut out the sections first, leaving 50mm of excess.

Carefully trim the edges with a utility knife until the wall is completely covered.